


Éire

by Winterbaby89



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, College, F/M, Ireland, Land Without Magic (Once Upon a Time), Professors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:48:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24260854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winterbaby89/pseuds/Winterbaby89
Summary: When sisters Ruby Lucas and Emma Swan travel to Ireland for their final year of college, they had no idea just how much their lives would change.
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32





	Éire

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So this thing became a bit of a beast, just shy of 15K, so be sure to stay hydrated. Again all the love to @ultraluckycatnd for being an amazing Beta and sounding board, and being a massive part of why this fic from 2017 is finally seeing the light of day.  
> Line breaks mean a change in POV, scene, or a time jump.

* * *

Emma Swan hasn’t had the easiest life growing up, bouncing around the system from foster home to foster home, until they all invariably sent her back for this reason or another. That is until she came to live with Granny and her granddaughter Ruby at fifteen, always wondering when the other shoe was going to drop. 

Granny and Ruby both fell in love with Emma and her broken soul, making her a part of their family, which gave both Emma and Ruby the sister that they had always wanted. A year later, Granny went and did the unexpected _in Emma’s eyes_ , deciding to officially adopt Emma for her sixteenth birthday.

All these years later at twenty-one and twenty-two respectively, Emma and Ruby are both going into their final year at Boston University for Business, and subsequently for the International Business Management: Graduate Certificate. Both girls decided for their final year they wanted a change in pace and scenery, so they decided to do a study abroad program, finishing out their degrees at Trinity College Dublin.

Together, the girls boarded the flight and found their seats; both girls managed to fall asleep as soon as the plane had taken off and the lights had been dimmed. They manage to sleep the entire six hour trip, with Emma coming to as the lights come up, nudging Ruby’s shoulder in an attempt to wake her sister as the pilot speaks over the plane-wide intercom saying, _“Thank you for flying Delta, have a great day.”_ Emma stands and tries to stretch out the kinks in her back from having slept so hard, before reaching up to get their bags.

“Come on Rubes. If you don’t hurry, the plane is liable to take off back to Boston with you still on it.” Emma starts pulling their carry-ons out of the overhead storage. Ruby started grimacing at the noise, sliding her sunglasses back over her eyes to dim the bright fluorescents overhead.

“Leave me be Em, I think... nope... yep... I’m hungover.”

“Well, it’s no less than you deserve, deciding to keep partying all the way up until 2 am when we had to leave for the airport to catch our flight.” Emma hands Ruby her carry-on as they start making their way off the plane, before heading to customs.

“It’s not like I was going to be sleeping anyway. Phil wanted to see me one last time before we left.”

“Phil? I thought his name was Paul?” 

Ruby has a look on her face like she's trying to see through a fog. “That’s right, you're right, it was Paul. Oops.”

“You are incorrigible Rubes, absolutely incorrigible. Regardless, you’d think your six hour nap would have helped.”

“Well obviously it did, some. I am no longer still drunk; now I’m just plain hungover.”

“Since it is 3 pm here, there’s still time to stop at Trinity before we get on the way to Drogheda. Or do you just want to leave it for another day when we aren’t jet lagged?” 

“Wow, the time difference will take a little getting used to, seeing that it’s only 10 am at home. But, we might as well get that stop out of the way now. That way, we can just explore Drogheda until we have to start going to classes next week.” They finally make it through customs with minimal problems, and go in search of their luggage and rental car.

After they finally found all of their bags and got their rental sorted, Emma braves driving, since there is no way she is letting Ruby behind the wheel in her current condition. It takes them longer than the projected twenty minutes that the GPS quoted because Emma was driving much more cautiously than she normally would since she was now driving on the wrong side of the road according to her American sensibilities. 

It is just a quick trip to the campus to make sure everything is in order for them to start their classes next week, and get their class schedules and campus maps. Both girls are still feeling the effects of their going away party and the jet lag from their travels, so they decide to make their way to The D Hotel in Drogheda where they’ll be staying until they figure out a more permanent housing situation.

* * *

**_Five Weeks Later_ **

“Come on Em, it's your birthday. We’re in Ireland for heaven’s sake, and school has been going well. We both deserve to let loose and celebrate." Ruby throws another dress from her closet at Emma who’s currently sprawled across Ruby’s bed.

Emma sits up as she looks at the dress Ruby has just slithered her way into, and then back down at the dress currently laying across her lap. "Fine, fine, you have twisted my arm. How about we just go to the bar downstairs? That way when we're plastered, we still have a good chance of making it back to our rooms in one piece." 

Mind made up, she decides she’ll humor Ruby and wear the skin tight red dress that will no doubt show too much leg and too much cleavage for her liking, but it will make Ruby happy. They finish getting ready for their evening out and head down to the bar on the ground floor, securing a table next to one of the windows so they can watch the sun go down over the water.

The hours grow long and the drinks go down smooth. Emma’s having a good time until she looks across the way to the other side of the room and spots her toughest professor. “Oh God Rubes, Professor Jones is here.” 

“What? Which one?” Ruby cranes her neck around, trying to see who Emma is talking about.

“My Conflict Studies professor, Ruby.” Emma tries to shrink back into the curtain behind her as she continues on, “I hope he doesn’t see me. That would be the worst way to end my birthday celebration.”

“Oh, I was hoping you might say it was my Social Impact professor. Now _that_ man would be a good time Em’s, I can feel it.”

“Ruby-” Emma can’t help but slap her sister’s shoulder, “For starters, that’s your professor. That would be an academic no-no for one, and you forget, I have no idea what _your_ Professor Jones looks like.”

"Oh! Right, well that sounds like that’s my cue to go get us some more drinks then.” With that statement, Ruby gets up and makes her way to the bar, catching the eye of almost every man in the place.

Emma has a brief look of confusion on her face as she tries to process what her sister has just said before her gaze drifts in the direction of the now darkness enshrouded water. In her inebriated state, she loses track of time until a smooth Irish lilt brings her back to the here and now. “You looked like you could use some company lass. Do you mind if I join you?”

“What?” She looks around and is caught off guard by the gorgeous man looking at her with an earnest stare. “Oh, my sister went to the bar to get us some more drinks.” As she says that, she looks past him and notices that Ruby is nowhere in sight. “But it would appear she has made other plans. Maybe you could join me, if you’re willing to buy me another rum.”

“Aye lass, I think I can manage that.” Her dark haired, blue eyed guest gives her a smile that nearly steals her breath, before he quickly looks around to flag down a server. With his task accomplished, he takes a seat across the table from her, and holds out his hand. “Name’s Killian by the way, and you are?”

She takes his hand and feels a thrill run up her spine at the contact as she gives her name. “Emma.”

“So, Emma, what are we celebrating tonight?”

“My birthday, actually.”

“Then it’s definitely bad form that your sister left you alone. A lovely lass such as yourself should never spend such an occasion alone.”

“Well it’s a good thing I’m not alone anymore, then, wouldn’t you say?”

“Aye, indeed.” Her drink is delivered to the table, and Killian raises his own glass. “A toast then. To a good birthday, and a prosperous year.”

Emma can’t keep the smile from her lips or blush from her cheeks with the way he’s looking at her, as though he’d very much like to devour her, as they both take a drink from their own glass.

Killian is a wonderful drinking companion, their conversations and drinks flow smoothly, and the laughter comes easy. As the night wears on, they grow closer without the need for additional alcohol to loosen their already lowered inhibitions. Their flirting becomes more intense leading up to Killian suggesting, “Tonight has been lovely lass, and while I am nowhere ready to call it a night, what do you think about making this a more private party? It could be my birthday gift to you; and if you like what you see, maybe there can be an encore?” 

“I don’t know about a repeat performance, but I wouldn’t say no to seeing about this promised gift.”

Through the course of the night, their chairs had gotten closer and closer, but seemingly spurred on by Emma’s comment, Killian finally closes the last of the space between them as he says, “Just ships passing in the night then?” 

Emma leans forward, resting her hand on Killian’s knee so she can all but purr, “Passing closely I hope.” She can’t help but take pride in the raised hairs that appear along the path of her breath across his neck. Feeling braver than she normally would, Emma takes the opportunity to slide her hand from where it rests on his knee up his thigh, stopping just shy of an area she desperately wants to explore. 

Killian looks down at her hand, and looks back up into her eyes, as he murmurs, “How about we take this upstairs?” 

In lieu of words, Emma threads her fingers with his, stands up, and pulls him with her by their joined hands towards the lobby and, more importantly, the elevators that will take them to the privacy they are in such desperate need for. Once the elevator doors are closed behind them, giving them a brief taste of the privacy they’re after, Emma can’t resist leaning up on her toes as her hand reaches to the back of Killian’s neck to gently pull his head down to meet hers in a much anticipated kiss.

Now that _that_ dam has been broken, they just can’t seem to resist coming back for more kisses every time one of them pulls back for much needed air, only snapping out of their self imposed bubble by the ding of the elevator doors opening up at Emma’s floor. They stay as tangled up in each other as they can manage while still managing to make their way to her room.

As they stumble their way through Emma’s hotel room door, she can’t help but to pin him against the wall as she starts tugging at the buttons on his shirt and vest, trying to get to the chest hair that has been teasing her all night. Once she has divested him of his vest and shirt, Emma can’t keep herself from running her hands up his chest, relishing in the feel of his chest hair between her fingers. She reaches up to gently bite his earlobe as she breathes out, “So about that promised gift?”

Killian’s voice isn’t more than a tortured sounding groan as he speaks up. “Birthday girl’s choice, love.”

“Must I choose though? Can’t I have it all?” She doesn’t even know who this coy woman is as she bites her lip enticingly, and bats her eyes at the man in front of her.

“Aye. I think I can meet the lady’s needs.” He gives her a saucy wink as he undoes the zipper at the back of her dress, and maneuvers them towards the bed.

* * *

Emma is feeling pleasantly sore as she comes to the next morning, with the warm weight of Killian behind her. And if the feel of his already hard cock is anything to go by, she thinks she just might be in store for a pleasurable morning too. She rolls over intending to return the favor Killian had paid her the night before when she hears her phone chime out her sister’s custom tone. Emma intends to ignore it and make good on her plans until she hears Killian’s phone ring out, causing him to groan out _bloody hell_ in a very gravel filled voice that does things to her insides.

Killian rolls over, reaching to fish his phone out of his pants where they lay strewn on the floor. Figuring since he was going to look at his message, she should probably see what half assed excuse her sister had for leaving her last night, though she’s not exactly complaining right now.

_Ruby: Hey Em’s sorry about last night, but I need you to meet me at St. Augustine’s Church, like 5 minutes ago_

_Emma: Church? Are you okay Ruby?_

_Ruby: Yeah, just get here?_

_Emma: Yeah, okay, I’ll be there soon._

_Ruby: I knew you were my favorite sister._

_Emma: Rubes, I’m your only sister. I’ll be there soon._

Her attention is brought back to the naked man next to her, as he starts trying to untangle himself from the sheet currently trying to strangle him. She rolls back over to face him, and helps him win his freedom from the sheet, as he finally speaks up. “My apologies lass. This is not how I expected this morning to go, but I’ve just gotten an urgent text from my brother, and I’m afraid I must go. Now.”

“I understand. I had imagined this morning differently too, but I have to go meet my sister urgently as well. Maybe we could meet again?” Emma tries not to get her hopes up too high at the soft shy smile he gives her at the confession of wanting to see him again. 

“I think I’d like that lass. Maybe I can call you?” Her heart is doing backflips now, but she tries to play it off cool, not wanting him to know how much he affects her so. 

“Give me your phone, I can input my number for you.” He doesn’t even bat an eye before pulling up the contacts on his phone, opening a new contact, and handing it to her. She will not admit that it does something to her insides that he seems as interested in seeing her again as she is in him. By the time she’s gotten her name and number saved, he’s already dressed and working on his boots. Once he’s finished, he reaches for the phone in her outstretched hand as he also leans in for a quick chaste kiss before he’s headed for the door and out into the real world.

Emma takes a few minutes to wallow over the stolen morning in her disheveled bed before she remembers that Ruby said it was urgent. She pulls herself over to her closet and pulls out her comfiest jeans and shirt. Deciding she’s not going to deal with the car and trying to find parking, she pulls on her walking shoes. The church isn’t that far from the hotel anyways, and the walk will be good for her.

As she pulls open the wooden door making her way into the church proper, she freezes in place at the scene before her. Emma swears she must still be asleep to be seeing what is in front of her, because there is no way this can be reality. At the front of the church standing with the priest is her sister, Killian, _looking just as surprised as she feels_ , and none other than her Conflict Studies professor, L. Jones. Just as she’s thinking about turning around and leaving, Ruby makes eye contact and manages to run in her four inch stilettos from last night, catching her by the elbow before she’s even managed two steps towards the door.

“Em’s, where are you going?”

“Ruby. Please tell me I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing, and that I am either still drunk, or asleep.”

“What do you mean Emma?”

“Did you really tell me to get down here because you’re marrying my professor?”

“Well, yeah-”

“And please for all that’s holy, please tell me that is not _his_ brother standing there next to him. _Your_ professor Jones?”

“Yeah-” 

“What did I ever do to piss off the fates?” Emma has to sit down before her legs buckle beneath her, so she makes her way over to the closest pew to drop onto. Ruby, looking very concerned for her sister, sits down in the pew next to her.

“Em, what is going on? I thought you’d be happy for me.”

“Ruby, if this is real and it makes you happy, and he will continue to make you happy, then yes, I am happy for you. But fate is a sadistic bitch.”

“Emma, language, we’re in a church.”

“Is that, or is it not, _your_ Professor Jones?” Emma gestures towards the front of the church where Killian is currently standing.

“Yeah, that’s Killian, Liam’s younger brother.”

“FUCK!” Both Jones brothers and the priest look up from their conversation at the front of the church to stare at Emma with as loud as she just shouted, in a church no less. Ruby waves away their concern as she continues to look at her younger sister, perplexed.

“Emma. What is going on with you?”

“I… I met Killian last night, when you took off on me.” Emma pauses and laughs nervously, almost manically, as she continues on. “And we… uh… we slept together.”

“Oh my God Emma! I’m so proud of you!” Ruby hugs her before the saucy sister she’s used to surfaces. “He was great, wasn’t he? Just like I knew he would be.”  
  
“Rubes, so not the time, or place, especially considering what we’re here for.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. We’ll talk later.”

“Is this really you Ruby? Is this really what you want? You’ve always said you’re not the marrying type.”

Ruby breaks out in a wistful smile, as her eyes go slightly unfocused, before she answers. “Yeah. It really is. He’s a great man, he genuinely understands me. We have a connection, one that I can’t explain, but, he’s the one. I can feel it in my heart, and down into my soul.” When Ruby looks back at her, Emma can see the pleading need for her to understand, and be happy for her.

“Then let’s go get you hitched sis.” Emma stands up, pulling Ruby with her so she can give her a bear hug, before heading to the front, where the men are still waiting for them. 

* * *

After the short but sweet ceremony forever bonding Liam and Ruby in holy matrimony, the foursome walk down the block to Harpers on the Quay for a spot of brunch. After they’re seated in the booth next to the front window, Emma can feel herself squirming, and she’s not entirely sure she likes it.

“So…” She knows that what she’s about to ask will sound absolutely stupid, but this conversation has to be started somehow. At the same time, she really wishes she couldn’t feel Killian’s earnest stare boring a hole into the side of her head. He had been a gentleman and let her have the outside seat on the bench. She has been avoiding his eye since she had her mini meltdown in the church, and isn’t sure if she will ever be able to look him in the eye again. “Professor Jones, I know in class I will still need to call you Professor, but what exactly am I supposed to call you outside of class? I mean, now that you’re married to my sister and all.” Emma is internally cringing at herself after all of that, and is immensely grateful for the waitress coming over to bring their drinks and take their food orders.

“Well, Ms. Swan, Liam will do, when we’re not on campus.”

“You can call me Emma, it sounds so much less formal.” She braces herself once more because it’s starting to feel like she’ll have to drag every last ounce of necessary information out, one by one, as Killian continues to attempt to set her on fire from his gaze alone. _Could he be any more obvious that we slept together?_ “So, what’s the next step? Are you moving out of the hotel and in with Liam, Rubes?”

“Well, I mean, yeah Em. That’s what married people do, isn’t it? They live together.”

Their conversation takes another brief pause as the waitress comes back by to bring them their ordered meals, so everyone just takes their time to enjoy the food. Meanwhile, Liam and Ruby make a bit of a show of enjoying each other, especially with the tidbits of food they’re sharing with each other. Emma isn’t certain she isn’t going to be sick. She’s happy for her sister, and happy that Ruby has found this kind of contentment that she’s never seen her experience with any of the other guys from her past. But she’s also a bit jealous; her stomach is currently in knots because the guy she thought _she_ might have found that with is sitting next to her, staring at her like she hung the moon, and is now completely off limits.

Once the meal has been consumed and they’re making their way through their last pot of tea, the conversation comes back around to what needs to happen now. 

“So, Em’s I’ve been thinking, and Liam agrees, you should move in with us at his house. The hotel was never meant to be a permanent living arrangement anyway.”

“Rubes, I appreciate that gracious offer, but no. No offense intended, but I don’t want to live with my newlywed sister, not to mention I feel like there would be some kind of ethics violation if I were to live with my teacher.”

“You could always move in with me lass. I have plenty of rooms at my place, and it would save you the ridiculous amount of money I’m sure you’re shelling out for the hotel.” Emma feels like her stomach has dropped through the floor at Killian’s sweet and generous offer, but she’s not sure how to address her true concerns with their current audience. She must have been silent for too long, to have prompted Killian’s next comment. “And I’m not your teacher, so there shouldn’t be any ethics concerns, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

With the way everyone at the table is currently looking at her, Emma feels as though she doesn’t really have a choice in the matter. She doesn’t want to offend Killian for her pride, so she gives him a slight smile, still not quite meeting his eye, and replies, “Sure. Thank you.”

“Well, with that settled, let’s go get you ladies packed up and checked out of that hotel. Killian, how about you help Emma get all of her things collected, while I help Ruby.”

“It would be my pleasure, as long as you don’t mind the help, Emma?” She is in every circle of hell right now, and just waiting for the floor to open up and swallow her at this point; not that she's ever been known to be dramatic. Emma just knows that Killian is going to want to talk about last night and where they stand, and she’s not sure she has an answer.

“I would appreciate the extra hands, thank you Killian.”

With that settled, Liam gets up to pay their tab as everybody else starts making their way back out into the day. Ruby and Killian wait for Liam just outside the restaurant's entrance, since they will have to go collect their cars. Since Emma had walked to the church, she starts making her way back towards the hotel on foot, despite protestations from the others, really just needing a few minutes to herself to get her head and heart sorted out.

Emma has already pulled out her suitcase and carry on bag, laying them out open on her bed so that she can pack everything she brought with her back into them by the time the knock comes at her door. She knows it is Killian, and she is doing everything she can to not think about the last time she was in this room… when she was here, with him. _Was that really only a couple of hours ago? Life really has a way of pulling the rug out from under a girl._ She realizes she has wandered off with her thoughts when she hears Killian knock again. She can’t just leave him standing out in the hallway, metaphorically holding his hat, so she goes over to open the door, and let him in.

“Thanks love, I was starting to think I had come to the wrong room.”

“Nope, you’re in the right room. Come on in.” She steps back out of the doorway so he can make his way into the room.

"So. I can tell something is wrong, Emma. Have I done something to upset you?”

“What? No. How would you have done something to upset me?”

“I don’t know, that’s why I’m confused about the cold shoulder I’ve been getting all morning. When I left here this morning, it was my understanding that we were actually in a really good place.”

“We were, we are? I’m not sure. A lot of things have changed in a short amount of time, Killian.”

“Tell me what’s wrong. Tell me what _I_ did wrong. How can we fix this? Please, just look at me.” She looks up and actually looks him in the eye at the note of near desperation in his voice. She can tell that he’s doing everything in his power not to reach out and touch her. The eye contact is her undoing, the dam holding everything in snaps like a twig. _Hopefully he will understand, eventually._

“It’s not you. Not entirely. It’s complicated Killian. I mean, last night was amazing, and I’ll always remember it, but we can never repeat it. I mean you’re my brother-in-law’s brother, not to mention, you’re also a teacher at my school. And honestly, you feel like you might be too good to be true, and that makes my heart hurt, and then I turn around and see my sister the happiest she’s ever been in her life, and I can’t help but wish for that too, but it can’t be with you. Her happiness with your brother has just made me realize how absolutely inadequate I really am, why no one has ever stayed in my entire life. I mean, I still half expect Ruby to leave me behind, and after this morning, I think she might just have. No one ever stays for me Killian, no one ever fights for me; I’m just not worth it, and you deserve someone that’s just as great as you are. And I completely understand if you never want to see or speak to me again, and honestly I can find my own place so I won’t be a burden or inconvenience to you and the life you have. Because honestly I don’t know if you actually wanted me to move in with you before all of this, or if you just offered because you felt like you had to because everyone thought my only other option was destitution. I mean I am a grown ass woman of twenty-two, I can survive on my own if need be.”

She had never anticipated ever saying even a fraction of what just escaped her mouth, and now that she has, Emma is doing everything in her power to not let the threatening tears take control. She collapses onto the corner of bed that’s not covered by suitcases, not wanting to even look in Killian’s direction to see the multitude of levels of disgust that must be crossing his beautiful features. So she is absolutely startled when she feels the tip of one of his fingers gently encouraging her to lift her face to meet his eyes, eyes that are now at her level because he is currently crouched down in front of her.

“Lass, I am sorry that all of that is how you feel. But I assure you my offer of a home was genuine, and I would still be honored if you chose to come live with me. No expectations of anything more or less than you’re willing to offer. If you want to just be roommates, I respect that. But I must tell you, you are worth fighting for, and I am sorry that nobody before your sister, who has _not_ abandoned you, has ever shown you that. I am a patient man, and if you want me to, I would happily prove to you that you are worth fighting for.”

Emma can’t help the tears and sniffles before she can fully absorb and respond to everything he has just said. The only thing she can think to say is, “Please, just be patient with me.”

With a quick nod of the head and a small smile, Killian stands up and retrieves a tissue from the bathroom for her to wipe her eyes. Then the two of them get to work packing up all of her stuff in a much less tense silence than when he had arrived at her door.

* * *

**_Four Weeks Later_ **

Emma thinks she is happier than she has any right to be, because Granny has decided to close the diner for a week to come visit her and Ruby for Thanksgiving, even though it’s totally not a thing here in Ireland. But with Granny here, it will truly be a Thanksgiving for the books. 

Granny, being the stubborn woman that she is, had told Emma and Ruby both that she would catch a cab from the airport, and wouldn’t hear any of their arguments to the contrary. So here Emma is, pacing the living room that she has been sharing with Killian this past month, just waiting for the time to head over to Ruby and Liam’s so that she can finally see Granny again.

Killian doesn’t even look up from the book in his hands as he calls out to her from the other side of the room. “Swan, would you rather we just head to Ruby and Liam’s now, or are you content to wear a path in the rug?”

“You know as well as I do it takes forty-five minutes to get from the airport to Liam’s, and us less than five. There hasn’t been enough time since Granny’s text for her to have made it there yet. And you know as well as I do the consequences of showing up at Ruby and Liam’s place before the promised time.”

Killian suffers a full body shudder as he responds, “Right you are lass. That is _definitely_ an image I’ll not be able to scrub from my corneas.”

“So, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll continue to pace in the safety of our home, and not have a repeated need for eye bleach.”

“If you really have that much pent up energy, I can think of more enjoyable ways to expend it.” He waggles his eyebrows and tosses her a saucy wink from where he’s still sitting in the overstuffed armchair by the fireplace. 

She can’t help but huff out a short laugh and roll her eyes at his continued innuendos. He continues to flirt with her almost daily, and she knows that he does it good naturedly to help ease the ever present tension between them. But he also continues to be ever the gentleman and respects her decision to not be more than roommates, and dare she say it, friends. But she is also aware that if she ever gave him the sign that she wanted more, he wouldn’t hesitate to show her the world. Emma so desperately wants to be with him, but can’t bring herself past the fear that it wouldn’t last so for now, and possibly forever, they can’t be anything more than friends.

Emma eventually takes up her usual place on the overstuffed couch in an attempt to distract herself with a book. After what feels like forever, she looks down at her phone for the thousandth time and is excited to see that it is time to finally leave. She quickly runs to her bathroom to make sure that she still looks presentable, while yelling out behind her, “Time to get your keys Jones. I’ll meet you at the car.”

She hears him close his book and knows that he has set it safely on the side table as he calls out to her, “As you wish, milady.”

Before she knows it, Emma swears that this week has disappeared in the blink of an eye, and somehow tomorrow is Thanksgiving day. She and Ruby haven’t gotten to spend all of the time with Granny that they wanted to because they still had classes to attend, life going on as normal as it has been since they got here and got settled. But they have both agreed to take all of tomorrow to spend with Granny to celebrate in American fashion, as much as they can. 

* * *

Killian has enjoyed getting to know the woman that helped raise Emma, but time has a tricky way of running away from you when you’re having a good time. Here it is the Saturday after they celebrated the American holiday, and he and Granny are both airport bound. Killian starts rubbing Emma’s arm, hoping to soothe his obviously distressed Swan. “Fret not lass, I will get Granny and myself to the airport safely.” 

“I know you will Killian, I’m just sad to see her go. It feels like she just got here. I guess I didn’t realize how much I missed her until she was with me again.”

“I’m certain she feels the same about you.” Killian turns his head to see Granny hugging Ruby off to the other side of his car as he continues to gently rub his hand up and down Emma’s arm to try to comfort her. Turning back to face Emma, he says, “It looks like she’s finishing up saying her good-byes to Ruby. How about you go give her another hug before we have to leave, yeah?” He was unprepared for her slightly watery smile as she hugged him tightly, and with a quick peck on the cheek, she whispered _have a safe trip_. 

He watches her approach Granny, getting wrapped in a bear hug. He can tell Granny is saying something to her, but he is too far away to hear, not that he’d want to intrude on their private moment. After a few more moments, he looks down at his watch and realizes what time it is. He hates to be the one to break them up, his eyes lingering briefly over the scene before him: Liam holding an upset Ruby who is doing a valiant job of not crying, and Granny still holding Emma, who looks like she has lost her fight against the tears after whatever Granny has said to her. But if he doesn’t say something now, he and Granny both will be late for their respective flights.

“Mrs. Lucas, I’m afraid we must go, or we will miss our flights.” 

Granny turns her head from where she’s still holding Emma, and gives him that stern look she is so good at before she speaks up. “Young man, how many times must I tell you to call me Granny? We’re family now, and I won’t have any of this _Mrs. Lucas_ nonsense.”

“Yes ma’am. Are you ready _Granny_?” 

She untangles herself from Emma, passing her off safely to Ruby, as she continues to cry. Liam comes over to bring Granny’s bags to the car, and to say his farewell to Killian. The brothers embrace in a quick hug, and Killian voices a quiet concern as Granny settles into the passenger seat.

“Take care of both of them, won’t you brother?”

“Aye, I’ll keep my eye on _your_ girl while you’re gone.”

“Li, you know that we’re not-”

“Yeah, yeah, now go, or you’ll be late.” He can’t refute his brother's logic, so he gets into the driver seat and starts the journey to the airport.

Killian is enjoying the companionable silence with his Swan’s mother figure, when the woman herself decides to break the silence. “Listen to me young man, and listen well. Emma isn’t like most people; she has been hurt a lot in her life. Ruby and I tried our best to heal those hurts, and we will both die to protect her from getting hurt again.”

“Ma’am-”

“I wasn’t done.” She gives him a no nonsense look over her glasses that he catches out of the corner of his eye, since he’s currently driving and does not want to take his attention from the road. “Like I was saying… Emma loves deeply, and when she lets someone into her heart, she loves with her whole being.”

“Ma’am, I think you have made a mistake. Emma and I are just roommates, and I hope, maybe even friends.”

“I said what I’ve said, and you will do well to heed my words.”

Killian was relieved, if not a bit confused by his conversation with Granny by the time he pulled into the parking space in long term parking, after having dropped Granny off at the terminal. It would definitely give him something to think about while he waited to board his flight to London. Killian is hopeful that by the time he lands in London, he will be able to focus on the conference he is speaking at, and not Emma or Granny’s ominous warning.

* * *

Now that she has the whole house to herself, Emma finds it a little disconcerting. It’s not bad per se, but she never realized how much she had gotten used to cohabitating with Killian, with his sweet gestures that she had never even realized; like how he made sure that the coffee pot always had at least one cup’s worth of coffee waiting for her before she even crawled out of bed. Or the electric kettle already being warmed and waiting when she was ready for her evening cocoa before bed. Or how he makes breakfast and dinner for himself, and makes sure to have enough for her to eat too.

As she’s sipping on her coffee, Emma is contemplating everything she needs to do today. Luckily, she only has Liam’s lecture to attend. _Not that his class has gotten any easier since he married my sister. I should probably stop at the market on the way home. I can just see the disbelieving look Killian would give me if he found out I’ve only been eating pickles and Doritos while he’s been gone_. 

Emma is no stranger to eating junk food, and who doesn’t like pickles? But now that she thinks on it, she realizes that her earlier thought wasn’t an exaggeration. She has literally only wanted pickles and Doritos since the day after Thanksgiving, when she had to throw out the entire pan of green bean casserole that Granny made just for her, because it had gone completely sour seemingly overnight.

In addition to needing to pick up actual food, she goes to check her bathroom to see if she needs to stock up on pads and tampons, since her period should be starting sometime soon. Emma is concerned to see that the boxes she has remain unopened, when she should have used almost all of them with her last period. With this revelation, Emma has to stop and think. How long has it been? A lot has happened since she’s been in Ireland, and days really don’t mean much, other than which lectures she has to attend. But now that she stops to think about it, the last one she remembers having was the first week of October… _Well shit. I guess I really need to stop at the market now, this is so not optimal. I don’t have time for this kind of messiness on top of everything else. SHIT!_

Emma has been trying not to think about what she is about to do, and what it might say, all throughout the day. She was admittedly not as attentive as she usually is in Liam’s lecture, and she thinks he may have noticed, judging by the raised eyebrow he gave her as she was trying to escape the room before he could have a chance to talk to her. Then she tried to ignore it even harder as she put the box in her basket at the market, making sure she grabbed a few healthier food options before nearly running out of there as soon as she had paid. And now that the time is here to actually take the test she can’t ignore it, or her nerves, any longer. Her one saving grace is that Killian is currently out of the country, and won’t witness any possible hysterics. She also has the time to smuggle the test and any evidence out of the house before he returns should it be a false alarm, so he will be none the wiser. After she takes the test, she leaves it sitting next to the sink in her bathroom as she decides to start making dinner as a way of distracting herself.

When the alarm on her phone goes off, Emma walks back to the bathroom hoping the digital screen will read those two words, but she is just greeted with the one, _Pregnant._

“Fuck!” _Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Fuck me. Wait, he did, that’s how I got in this situation… so not the time to be making bad jokes Emma. I’ve got to figure out what I’m going to do. How the hell am I going to tell Killian? Should I tell Killian? I mean I don’t want him to think I’m trying to trap him into something with me, oh God, what if he thinks I’m just after his money? FUCK! Calm down Emma, gotta breathe. I’m a big girl, I can figure out what to do._

Emma is brought out of her mental spiral by the sound of her phone chiming an incoming text from Ruby.

_Ruby: I feel like we haven’t talked since Granny left, I miss you sister._

_Emma: I miss you too. Do you think your hubby will let you come have a girls night here while I have the place to myself? Just you and me before Killian gets back in a couple days?_

_Ruby: I doubt he will care Em, I’ll pack an overnight bag and be there in a few._

Now that she knows Ruby is coming over, Emma sets to making more food than originally planned; she has a feeling it is going to be a long night. She doesn’t even flinch when a few short minutes later, Ruby comes strolling into the house, dropping her bag onto the kitchen island.

“So was Liam okay with you coming over?”

“Yeah, I mean he was a little sad that we wouldn’t have our _cuddle_ time, but he understands that I need my sister time too.”

“You hungry? I’m making some chicken and rice.”

“Mmmm, that does sound good.” Without another word spoken between them, Ruby jumps in to help finish making the food. Neither of them say another thing until they’re sitting down at the table to eat, and Ruby can no longer contain her thoughts. “You okay Emma? You’ve been quieter than normal. I know Granny going home was hard on both of us, but you seem sadder than normal. Are you just homesick?”

“I think I’m okay Rubes, or at least I’m trying to be okay. And yeah, Granny leaving was hard, but I think I’m going to have to get used to not being able to see her.”

“You mean until we go back home for graduation?”

“Sort of.”

“I know that I’ve decided to come back and live here with Liam after we go back for graduation, but I thought you were planning to go back home and stay in Boston.”

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I mean I miss Granny, and everyone in Boston, but I don’t know if I would want to live so far from you, and Ireland is starting to feel like it could be home. Plus…” Emma trails off, still not quite sure how to have this conversation yet. 

“Plus what, Emma?” Ruby just can’t resist teasing her sister, so she says, “Have you finally decided you’re going to admit you’re in love with Killian, and save us all those yearning and doey eyed looks you guys give each other? Not to mention putting that man out of his misery by admitting you want to be with him?”

“You’re hilarious, Ruby.” Emma can’t figure out how to say the words so she gets up from the table to go collect the traitorous stick that she put in a plastic ziplock bag earlier and stashed in her room. Coming back to where Ruby is sitting looking rather confused, Emma thrusts the bag into her hands.

“Are you serious Emma?” She’s not sure her voice will cooperate, so she just nods her head. “Is it Killian’s?” Another nod. “Oh my God Em’s, when are you going to tell him?”

At that last question, Emma breaks down into the tears that she has been holding back since she saw the results on the little screen. Ruby doesn’t say a thing, just gets out of her chair and wraps Emma in a bear hug until the tears finally subside.

“You okay now Em’s?” Still trying to get her breathing normalized, she just nods to answer Ruby. “You wanna talk about it?”

“I don’t know, I mean I know I probably should. I think I’m still in shock.”

“Yeah, I can understand the shock. I mean, I figured I would be using one of these-” Ruby waves the bag with the pregnancy test in it around briefly before setting it on the table. “Before you would. Considering the fact that you haven’t gotten any since your birthday. Oh my God! Your birthday, Emma-”

“Yeah, I realized Ruby. Thanks.”

“So, back to my earlier question. How are you going to tell Killian?”

“I don’t know.”

“You have to tell him Emma. He deserves to know.”

“Do you think I don’t know that Ruby? I mean, of course he deserves to know, and it's not like I can hide it. Here in a few weeks everyone will know.” Emma gets up from her chair to pace as she tries to figure out her next words. “But, it’s not a simple thing to tell someone. Like: _Hi, I know I told you we can’t be more than friends despite the fact that I’m crazy in love with you, and oh yeah, by the way, I’m having your baby._ He would look at me like I’m crazy, Ruby. Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“You finally admitted it Emma. You finally acknowledged what the rest of us have known since that morning after your birthday. You do love him.”

“SO not the time Rubes, ok? I think there might be a bigger elephant in the room here.”

“Okay, how about this. Start by telling him you’re in love with him, have been since you laid eyes on him, and you want to be one big, happy family with the wee Jones on the way. Especially since you’ve already been playing house with the man for over a month now.”

“No! I can’t Ruby. What if he thinks I’m just after the money? How well do we _really_ know each other any way?”

“Honey, that’s just the fear and panic talking. You know that you guys know each other better than that; you’ve been practically joined at the hip since you met.”

“Ruby, you have to swear to me you won’t breathe a word of this to anyone. That includes Liam, until I figure out what I’m going to do.”

“Start thinking fast sister. Killian will be back from London the day after tomorrow.” Ruby gets up from her chair, taking their half full plates to the kitchen, and calling out over her shoulder, “I’ll clean up the dinner mess, and put away the leftovers. You pick out a movie for us to watch before bed.”

* * *

**_A Few Weeks Later_ **

He’s noticed that Emma has been more skittish than normal since he got back from his convention in London, and at first he didn’t think anything of it. But it has been a few weeks now, yet he has no idea how to try to talk to Emma about it. They would normally eat breakfast together in the mornings and dinner together at night, but he feels as though he has barely seen her since he got home from the trip. And now that they’re on holiday and don’t have to worry about classes for a few weeks, it has become even more glaringly obvious that she is actively trying to avoid him.

He had tried asking Liam and Ruby about Emma’s peculiar behavior, but neither of them had noticed any change in her, so he’s been wracking his brain about what he could have possibly done to have upset her to the point of avoidance. Killian vowed to himself that he would make a nice dinner and try to have a conversation with Emma about what was going on, and ask what he could do to make up for whatever it was he had done to upset her. He makes his way to the kitchen to get to work on making his mother’s _Shepherds Pie_ , and _Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce,_ and hopefully, he would be able to regain the fair Swan’s affections.

He’s just pulling the cake from the oven as he hears Emma come in the front door. He quickly sets it on the cooling rack trying not to burn himself, but also tries to be quick enough to catch her before she disappears into her room again.

“Swan! I’m so happy I caught you. I was hoping we could have dinner together tonight.”

“Oh, Killian, hi!” He notices that she doesn’t look at him, but somewhere just over his shoulder, and his heart breaks just a bit more. “Sure, we can have dinner together. Do you mind if I take a shower and change first?”

“That’s fine love. The food needs to cool a bit; it just came out of the oven.”

“Okay, I shouldn’t take too long.” Before he can say another word, she quickly shuffles down the hall towards her room and just before she disappears from his sight completely, he notices that she had been hiding a green bag behind her back. 

He is intrigued but not enough to pry, especially since her privacy seems in the highest regard for her at the moment. He moves back into the kitchen to start getting everything ready. He is just finishing setting the table when Emma comes back into the room, and he notices that she’s still got the green bag in hand.

“Shall we love? Don’t want it to get too cold now.” Emma just nods her head and they sit down to enjoy the meal he made. Once they’ve cleaned their plates, he gets up to clear the table and brings them each a slice of the cake. When he makes it back to his seat, he finds that the green bag has now made its way from beside Emma’s chair to in front of his chair.

He gives Emma the plate with her piece of cake on it. As he takes his seat and sets his plate off to the side of the bag, he asks, “Is this for me Emma?” 

“Yes. I’m sorry about how I’ve been acting lately. I’ve just had a lot on my mind, and have been really tired.”

“That’s alright love. Anything I can help you with? It’s not anything I’ve done, is it?”

“No, maybe? Yes.”

“I’m afraid you’re not making much sense, Swan.”

“Can you just open the gift? But read the card first?”

“Aye. I can do that for you lass.” When he opens the card and reads what it says, he’s not any less confused.

_I know we never discussed getting each other gifts for Christmas, but here’s one I hope you might like anyway._

  
  


Emma gives him a slight smile and nods her head to have him look in the bag. What he finds wasn’t even in the realm of expectations, and he finds himself utterly stunned. There, under the tissue paper, is a bundle of white fabric. As he unfolds it to find out what it is, he sees a baby’s onesie, saying _Plot Twist_. He just blinks at it as he is trying to comprehend what is going on. He looks back at Emma looking very nervous now, but she says, “There’s more, keep looking.”

So taking her advice, he set it to the side on the table, looking at what was underneath it. Another onesie, this one saying, _I can’t wait to meet you daddy. Coming Summer 2017._

He looks back up at Emma, completely unable to access any of the words in his inexhaustible vocabulary, probably looking much like a fish out of water gasping for air as his mouth continues to open and close. 

After what seems like a small eternity, he’s able to utter one word. “Truly?”

“Yes.” Emma looks at the point of tears now, so he sets the onesie down with the other and reaches for her hand, still uncertain if she would welcome the contact. But she takes his hand as soon as it’s offered, and he pulls her up to stand with him, wrapping her in a comforting hug for them both as he buries his face in the crook of her neck and just tries to absorb this momentous event. 

* * *

**_A Few Weeks Later_ **

Killian can’t believe it is already Christmas Eve; it feels like just yesterday that Emma told him he was going to be a dad. He’s still trying to wrap his mind around that one, but he is happy nonetheless. He and Emma have gotten much closer than they already were in these past few weeks, and for that he is immensely grateful.

They're currently getting ready to head to Liam and Ruby’s house for Christmas Eve dinner, and he’s only a little nervous about how Liam will react to the gift they got for him. He and Emma had decided to hold off telling anyone about the baby until after the holidays had passed, opting to announce Liam’s upcoming title in the form of a Christmas gift.

As he comes out of his introspection and nerves, Killian walks up behind Emma, unable to resist the urge to hug her, and rests his chin on her shoulder as he asks, “Are you ready love?”

“As ready as I’m going to be, considering.” He pulls back just enough to see her face, noting the worry weighing on her brow again.

“You know no matter Liam’s reaction, you always have me Emma. There is no question or doubt about that. You’re stuck with me now.” He gives her a playful wink, finally pulling a smile from his Swan. 

“Well, I have to say that is definitely a plus.” She turns slightly in his arms so she can give him a sweet kiss before continuing, “Come on Romeo, otherwise we’ll be late. And you know how Liam gets about tardiness.”

“Right you are lass. I’ve already got everything in the car; all I’m missing is you.” He untangles himself from his hold on Emma to offer her his arm to hold. “Shall we love?”

“We shall. Lead the way.” As Emma gently grips his forearm, he leads them through the house and out to the car. Ever the gentleman he is, he even opens the door for her to get in the passenger seat. 

* * *

They have a good Christmas dinner. Ruby keeps subtly draining her wine glass and swapping glasses with Emma without Liam noticing. Along with Killian, the three of them make a bit of a game of it to see if Liam notices anything before it’s time to open presents. By the time they all sit down in the lounge after the meal is done, with Emma and Killian on one sofa, and Liam and Ruby on the other, Liam remains none-the-wiser.

“Alright brother, host choice. Do you want to give, or receive first?”

“I think I will give you your gift first, little brother. I hope you don’t mind, it is a gift for you both.” Liam gets up from his seat, reaching for the largest bag settled next to the tree, from where it was leaning against the wall. “Here you are lass. I’ll let you have the honors of opening the gift.”

“Thank you Liam. That’s very kind of you.” Emma peeks into the bag and notices that whatever it is he has gotten them has a handle on the top. She looks over to Killian and asks, “Babe, can you grab the bottom of the bag, and I’ll grab the handle, and maybe between the two of us we can get this out of the bag?”

“I never thought you’d ask love. On the count of three?”

“You dork, just pull.” She braces herself before she tugs, not wanting to throw herself off the couch by pulling too hard. With their teamwork they are able to dislodge the massive plastic covered mass. As she reads the label on the front, she sees that Liam got them a rich navy blue colored duvet set for their queen size bed, pillow cases and all. “Wow Liam, thank you. This looks amazing.”

“You’re welcome lass. I’m sure that lout of a brother of mine doesn’t have any half decent bedding, and I’ve learned very quickly from Ruby that you ladies like your soft bedding.”

Standing from his spot on the couch, shooting Liam a scathing look, Killian picks up their gift for Liam from where it was sitting next to the tree. “Hey now you git, I’ll show you; no decent bedding my arse. I’ve managed to do just fine without your gift, _brother._ ” Killian makes his way across the room to where his brother is sitting. “Here’s your gift. Hopefully you’ll like it just as much as Emma and I like ours.” Killian hands the gift to Liam and makes his way back to the couch with Emma. Unconsciously, they both reach for each other as he sits down.

Emma’s nerves have reached twelve now that the box is in Liam’s hand, and they’re only moments away from seeing his reaction. She’s not sure she is even still breathing as she squeezes Killian’s hand just a bit tighter. She knows how much Liam and his opinion means to Killian, and she doesn’t want to be the reason for any kind of divide between them.

Liam finally opens the box and just stares at what’s inside for a moment, one that feels like forever, with a confused look on his face. Emma sees Ruby lean over his shoulder to peek in the box to see what has him so befuddled. She knows he must be reading it again, with the way his eyes are moving. 

What he sees is a white onesie saying, _Your Christmas present is on layaway until July 2017._ Liam cocks his head to the side as he mouths the words before him, before finally looking up at Killian and Emma.

“Does this mean what I think it means brother? Are you-?” Apparently at a loss for words, Liam just gestures in their direction.

“Aye.” She feels Killian squeeze her hand again as he looks over at her, giving her a reassuring smile, before looking back at his brother. “So, what do you think about the title _Uncle_?”

In lieu of words, Liam gets up from where he’s seated, first pulling Killian into a bear hug, and whispering something she can’t hear as the brothers embrace for a few moments more, before it’s her turn to be gathered up into a bear hug. He whispers into her ear, “Congratulations lass, I am happy for you both. Just don’t break his heart again, yeah?”

“I won’t, I promise.”

“How cute you guys. Now, open mine.” Ruby walks over, nudging her husband out of the way so she can hug Emma too, and hands her the box in her hand.

“Thanks Rubes.” Emma sits back down on the couch, and Killian takes his place next to her as she starts unwrapping her gift. What she finds makes her bust out laughing. There, in the box, is yet _another_ onesie; this one grey, with a hockey stick hitting a puck, with words surrounding it, saying _Daddy slipped one past the goalie._ “Oh my God. Ruby! You are absolutely terrible!”

“I don’t know love, it seems fairly accurate to me.” She can’t help but slap Killian’s shoulder as he picks it up out of the box to show Liam, who’s back on his couch with Ruby. “What do you think Liam? Thank you Ruby, it is not only hilarious, but accurate.”

Liam looks at the onesie Killian is holding up, and finally looks at his wife. “Wait, wait, wait, you knew?!?”

Emma can hear the hurt in his voice from across the room, and speaks up trying to diffuse the situation. “Don’t be mad at her Liam, she was sworn to secrecy by the bond of sisters. If it helps at all, she knew before Killian too.”

“Well, I guess I can respect that. Sisters have a bond like no other, and it makes sense that you would confide in Ruby.” He reaches his arm across Ruby’s shoulders and pulls her closer in a hug as he continues, “I am happy for the both of you. Truly.”

They all chat and enjoy each other’s company for a while longer, before it is decided that it’s time for them all to turn in for the night. Emma and Killian bundle up in their coats and collect all their gifts, making sure to get it all in the car, before heading back to their home.

* * *

Killian and Emma make it back to their house. While he got their gifts put away and started a fire in the fireplace, Emma went to change into some comfier clothes. After Emma came back into the lounge and got settled on the couch in front of the fire, he went to go make them some cocoa. Killian takes a quick shot of rum to settle his nerves about what he plans to do next. 

He makes his way back into the lounge and sees that there is now an impressively large box next to where Emma is curled up waiting for him. He hands her the mug of cocoa as he continues to make his way around to his seat next to her.

“Killian, set your cup down and open this. Now. You need to see what I got you.” He can’t keep the smile from his face as he sees and hears the excitement in her eyes and voice.

“Alright love, alright. Give me a second.” He carefully places his mug on the table beside him, before he stands to start tackling the monstrosity of a box. As he sheds the layers of wrapping paper, he finally makes it down to the plain brown box. Looking inside, seeing the gift she got him takes his breath away. Inside the box is a brand new burnished caramel Fender electric guitar; the guitar of his dreams. Killian has to take a seat on the couch before his legs give out beneath him. It takes him a few minutes of gaping before he’s finally able to find his voice. “Love. Emma. This is amazing, I never…” Killian sets his guitar gently off to the side, before he pulls Emma to him in a crushing hug. “Thank you, so much. For _everything_ you’ve given me.” 

“You’re welcome Killian. This was the least I could do, for everything you’ve done for me. And I know how much it hurt when your last guitar kicked the bucket.”

Now that it’s time for his turn, Killian’s nerves have returned. He pulls back from their hug so he can look Emma in the face. “I hope you will like what I got you just as much, or more.” Taking a bracing breath, he gives her hand a squeeze. “I’ve known ever since that first night that you are it for me. But I knew you needed time to get to the same place. These last few months have just solidified and reaffirmed what I felt, and I wouldn’t be asking this, if I wasn’t sure that you feel the same as I do… so, Emma Swan, will you make me the happiest and luckiest man alive, and become my wife? Will you marry me?” He pulls out the black velvet box that has been burning a hole in his pocket for the last couple months. Opening it, he reveals a silver Claddagh ring with a heart shaped emerald in place of the traditional silver heart.

“Killian? Are you serious?” He nods his head, uncertain if he has overstepped. “Killian, of course I’ll marry you!” Emma in her excitement lunges at him, catching him in a hug that almost dislodges them both from the couch. He can’t resist kissing her once he has ensured that they aren’t going to fall on the floor. 

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Killian asks, “May I do the honors, love?” 

“Oh, of course.” He gently slides the Claddagh ring onto her ring finger, both of them just processing the moment, before Emma speaks up again. “Killian, it’s gorgeous.” 

They decide to take the celebration of their engagement to their bedroom, and celebrate they did, all night long.

* * *

**_A Few Months Later_ **

The last few months have been a whirlwind, and have disappeared in the blink of an eye. 

After the surprise from Killian at Christmas, they had both decided that they didn’t want to wait any longer, and opted to get married before having to return back to school for the next term. So along with Liam and Ruby, they went down to the church the day after Stephen’s Day and tied the knot in an intimate service, just the four of them and the priest.

Now here she is on St Patrick’s Day, sitting next to her husband in The Mariner Pub, of all places. “Killian you are absolutely the meanest person I’ve ever known,” Emma pouts as she swirls the straw in her soda. 

The man looks absolutely unfairly gorgeous, as he turns to look at her with that oh so familiar smirk on his face. “And why is that love?”

“Because it is St Patrick’s Day, in Ireland, and you have dragged me out to a pub. And I can’t even drink!”

Killian leans over to give her a side hug from where he sits next to her at their table just off the stage area. “Now now Swan, don’t be like that. I figured you would rather be here with me, and Ruby, and Liam, rather than be stuck at home alone.”

“I’ll admit, the chance to see you in full rockstar mode as you play with your band from college is exciting, and may or may not affect me in other ways. And you know how I feel any time you wear that beanie, but look at me babe; I am the size of a beached whale, and I am always tired.”

“Emma, I assure you, you are not the size of a beached whale. You are absolutely gorgeous as always. And we can discuss those more salacious effects in private and in more detail when we get home tonight love.” Killian gives Emma a lascivious wink and a quick peck on the cheek as he’s called up to start the show with the band.

She has to admit, seeing her husband up on stage playing guitar and singing right to her with all those boyish smiles and cocky grins does naughty things to her insides. Maybe it’s not so bad that she can’t drink when she’s got a view like this. Emma doubts there will ever be a day that she’s not turned on by Killian, though her current hormonal state is definitely giving her a boost; a hormonal state that has murderous urges flaring within her at the way all these buxom women are falling all over themselves trying to touch _her_ man. 

One rather presumptuous woman almost makes it up onto the stage, grabbing ahold of Killian’s leg before being pulled away by the two bouncers that had been discreetly standing near the stage. Emma feels her rage flare even higher and makes to get up from her seat to remedy the situation, and to make it clear to any other that holds any similar ideas, that Killian is _hers._

Sensing the change in her sister’s mood, Ruby comes over and wraps her arm around Emma’s shoulders, before she’s able to do more than lean forward. “Oh honey, no, you know nothing will come of it; that man only has eyes for you.”

Liam walks up to the other side of her chair as he speaks, “She’s right you know Emma. There’s never been another, and will never be another for my little brother, but you.”

“Yeah, I know, and I know that it’s the hormones making me crazy, but that doesn’t change how I feel. And save your speeches, I know I sound crazy. Let’s just try to enjoy the show.”

“Sounds like a plan lass.”

Through the course of the night, Emma can feel her energy waning fast, but she is determined to enjoy every minute, since nights out are few and far between with school and preparing for graduation and the baby. She can see the unfiltered joy on Killian’s face as he performs and is doubly glad that tonight was an option for him. She knows he enjoys teaching, but can tell that playing guitar and singing is his passion.

By the time Killian jumps off the stage to come join her again, the wide smile is a permanent fixture on his face. She can still feel his smile through the kiss he places to her temple as he hugs her and asks, “So what did you think love, did you like it?”

“It was fantastic. You were fantastic.” She gives him a hug back and continues, “Not to be a party pooper, but can we go home? I’d really like a nice hot bath with my husband before bed.”

“Aye, I think I can make that happen darling. Just let me go grab my guitar and we can go home.” After he has collected his guitar, he comes back to collect her. As they head for the car, she can’t help but preen a bit at all of the looks they get from all the women that had been trying to get Killian’s attention all night, and he has nothing but eyes for her. 

After they get home, Killian makes good on his promises to her. Even though she had been exhausted, by the time they left the pub, she was energized enough to receive Killian’s attentions into the wee hours of the morning.

* * *

**_A Few Weeks Later_ **

Emma is glad to be in Boston, she has missed it these past months. But even though it was her home for the last ten years, it no longer truly feels like home to her. Now, home is Killian and their place in Ireland. It has been great getting to see her friends, and Granny, introducing them all to Killian and Liam. _She has indeed missed the food in Boston, and has played the pregnancy card more than she wants to admit so that she could eat at every place that catches her eye, or nose rather; but that’s what vacations are for, right? To overindulge?_

She and Ruby have had a great time showing the guys the sights to be seen around Boston, getting to experience the newness and excitement of it all through their husbands eyes. When they haven’t been spending time with Granny, sightseeing, or eating, they have been wading through their old shared apartment, figuring out what is worth it to ship back home to Ireland, or what can be sold. 

But today is finally the day they came to experience; in a few hours, she and Ruby will officially be college graduates. Emma is thinking about all of the good times they’ve had since they’ve been back in Boston and how they only have tomorrow left before they catch their flight home, when she’s startled from her pleasant thoughts by a shrill voice she was hoping to not ever have to hear again.

“So we have one little fight, and you run to a different country and fuck the first guy with an accent you come across?” Emma shifts away from Walsh as much as possible, with her back already against the wall of the tunnel; she’s been using it to keep herself upright, knowing full well if she sat down like a lot of the others around her, she wouldn’t be able to get back up.

“Walsh, we didn’t just have a fight, we broke up.” Emma can’t help but roll her eyes at this boy trying to play man in front of her, and now that she’s face to face with him again, she can’t fathom what she ever saw in him.

Walsh is still standing much too close for her comfort, but she can tolerate it as long as he doesn’t try crowding her again. “Emma, we didn’t break up; you just needed some time to wrap your pretty little head around how our relationship works.”

“Yeah, not even in your dreams, Walsh. I walked in to find you fucking your American Furniture class TA. Our relationship ended the minute you put your dick in Zelena.” She can tell that her comment pissed him off because his carefully crafted facade slips for the briefest of moments before he responds with venom in his voice.

“Now, now. You have no room to cast stones Emma, what with you fit to burst by some Irish bum. It seems to me that you’re the one that cheated on me.”

His commitment to his delusion would be admirable, if it weren’t so annoying. Emma is past done humoring the idiot, and is just ready for him to leave her be already. “Are you seriously this dense?! Walsh, we broke up, _months_ before I left to study abroad. We haven’t been together in over a year!”

“Emma, Emma, Emma. We didn’t break up, because I never agreed to that.” He says it with such certainty, that she knows he truly believes the words he has just touted at her.

“Walsh, it’s time for you to go back to your place in line, and leave me alone.”

“Fine, for now, but this isn’t over. You _will_ have to atone for your betrayal of our relationship. I’ll find you after the ceremony is over.” Emma believes that the only reason he acquiesced to going back to his place is because of the booming voice over the PA announcing that the graduating classes need to start filing onto the field.

The ceremony is absolutely boring. She knew it was going to be a snoozefest, but the reality has by far surpassed her expectations, and she is glad when she has finished her slow waddle across the stage, making it back to her seat. Now that she has done her part, she no longer has to pay any attention, so she pulls out her phone and passes the time away texting with Killian from wherever it is her family was able to find seats. 

Now that the ceremony is finally over, Emma texts Killian to meet her at the benches next to the police station so they can all walk back to the car together. Before making her way to the designated meeting spot, Emma shoots a quick text to Ruby letting her know, in case Liam didn’t think to tell her.

Emma finds an empty bench and is admiring the flowers, thinking about where they might go for dinner to celebrate, when she is once again rudely pulled from her contemplations by Walsh.

“So are you ready to beg and grovel for my forgiveness?” Emma just takes a deep breath and doesn’t even bother acknowledging Walsh, in the hopes that maybe if she ignores him he will go away. “Emma, you will look at me when I talk to you.”

“I have nothing else to say to you Walsh, you need to leave me alone. Why don’t you go find Zelena?”

“You ungrateful, unrepentant whore. You _will_ beg forgiveness for your betrayal of my trust... How dare you sit there and act like you've done nothing wrong when you have made me nothing but a laughing stock with how you flaunt your horrible indiscretion around for everyone to see!” Walsh’s voice has been continuing to rise with every word he’s said, oblivious to the attention he is attracting to the scene he is causing.

“That sounds like a personal problem for you Walsh, but in no way affects me. We have been done for a long time, and haven’t spoken to one another in over a year.” Emma makes to get off of the bench and walk away from Walsh, since he is obviously not listening to a word she says.

“We are not done here Emma. Not until I say so!” In his anger, Walsh grabs Emma’s arm and yanks her back to face him. That was his fatal mistake because as his attention is focused solely on Emma, her attention is fixed on Killian and Liam who have noticed the scene, and are damn near running her way.

While still jogging their way to Emma’s side, but finally in earshot, Killian shouts out, “Oi! Get your hands off my wife, you wanker!”

Walsh keeps his bruising grip on Emma’s arm as he turns slightly to address Killian’s shouted confrontation. “Listen here buddy, we’re in the middle of a private conversation here that doesn’t include you.” Considering the matter settled, Walsh turns back to face Emma. “As I was saying Emma. You need to do some serious repenting before I will consider forgiving you for your gross indiscretion and whoring ways.” He yanks on her arm a bit more to drive his point home but unfortunately for him, Killian and Liam have finally made it to them.

Before she even realizes what’s going on, Emma feels Liam’s steady hands on her shoulders as she hears Killian speak. “That’s it.” As he speaks, he pulls Walsh around to face him, and she finally feels Walsh’s hand let go of her arm, as Killian cocks his arm back, clocking Walsh in the face, and laying him out flat on the ground. “Emma, love are you alright? The baby?” Emma just curls up in Killian’s embrace as much as she can with her swollen belly between them.

Ignoring the twinges she feels in her belly and back, she looks up into Killian’s eyes, wanting to reassure him. “I’m okay, we’re ok.”

Not even a minute later, the university police show up, demanding an explanation. Walsh tries to play the victim, hoping to get Killian and Liam arrested if Emma had to guess. Luckily for them, and very unfortunately for Walsh, there is still a crowd of people around that seem to have taken great offense to a man manhandling a pregnant woman. So with dozens of witnesses backing up their side of the situation, Walsh is arrested, despite his protests. By the time Walsh is cuffed and escorted away, Emma can no longer ignore the pain ripping through her abdomen, and a pained cry passes her lips, drawing the eyes of Killian, Liam, Ruby, and Granny, the latter two finally having caught up to them.

“Love? I thought you said you were okay?”

“I think we need to go to the hospital… I think… I might be in labor.”

* * *

**_A Few Weeks Later_ **

Killian has never been more thankful to not have to teach summer courses than he is this year because after all of the unpleasantness in Boston, and the false alarm labor scare, Emma was put on bed rest as soon as they touched down in Ireland a few weeks ago. He’s fairly certain he has gotten on her nerves with his, as she puts it, _hovering_ ; though he likes to think of it as taking care of his family any way he can. 

Emma is in the lounge, bundled up on the couch with a stack of pillows and a pile of blankets as he is making lunch for them both in the kitchen, when he hears Emma call out for him. He makes sure to turn the stove off, just in case, since the doctor has said she can go into labor at any time now; even though it feels much too soon to him.

“Killian! Killian, get in here! I think it’s time!” 

He makes his way to her side, and crouches down to be at eye level with her, and notices the pain in the lines of her face as he asks. “Are you certain, love?”

She reaches out and grabs his hand, damn near squeezing the thing to a pulp. “Yeah. Take me to the hospital, now!”

As soon as the wave of pain passes, he helps Emma get untangled from all of the blankets, and into the passenger seat of their car. He’s had a go bag in the back seat since the day after they got home and saw their OB GYN, and received the news that Emma needed to be on bed rest to try to stave off premature labor. As soon as Emma is settled in the car, Killian sends a quick text to Liam to let him and Ruby know what’s happening. Cursing to himself when he gets Liam’s reply, he realizes that he has completely forgotten to call the hospital. Normally he wouldn’t ever make a call while driving, but makes the exception this one time.

The short drive to the hospital feels like it takes forever, hearing his love in pain in the seat next to him, but they eventually make it there. He pulls up to the Emergency Department, and they’re met by a couple of nurses with a wheelchair so they can get Emma to a delivery suite quickly.

Once they’re in the room and Emma has been hooked up to all of the various machines, the doctor comes in to check out her progress. They determine that she is almost fully dilated, and their doctor expects she could be ready to start pushing within the hour.

A few hours later, Emma is finally resting after all of the hard work her body went through to bring their children into this world safely. Killian is just sitting back in a chair next to Emma’s bed in arm’s reach of both bassinets when he hears a faint knock on the door. It was quiet enough not to disturb the babies, but loud enough to bring Emma back from her cat nap.

He whispers to Emma as he leans over to place a gentle kiss to her temple, “Shall I go see who that could be, my love?”

“Yeah. It’s probably Liam and Ruby.”

“You’re probably right. I guess it’s time we reveal our surprise then?”

“A surprise indeed.” _They had both been completely shocked when the doctor had looked up after safely handing off their son to one of the nurses, and told Emma it was time to push again, as he could see their daughter’s head crowning_. Killian places another quick kiss to her temple before he heads for the door to greet their guests. Opening the door, Killian places a finger to his lips to let their family know to be quiet.

“Do come in brother, Ruby.” As his body is still obstructing their view of the bassinets, he continues for the reveal, “Come meet your niece and nephew.”

“Twins?!” Ruby exclaims a touch too loudly, causing a disgruntled grunt to herald the oncoming cries from their daughter. Killian quickly makes his way back to the bassinets to swoop her up into his arms and quieting her cries before she wakes her brother.

As he turns back to face her, Emma extends her arms to take the baby from him so he can gently lift their still sleeping boy.

“So brother, care to tell us their names?” Liam asks, with a look of stunned disbelief on his face as he surveys his brother and his family, a beatific smile breaking out across his face as he sees the happiness radiating from both Emma and Killian. 

“Aye,” beamed the doting new father. “Our prince here is Conner, and our princess there is Kerra.”

_~Fin~_


End file.
